


Love Is Our Own Reward

by MermaidOdair



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-03-16
Packaged: 2018-03-12 09:23:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 17,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3351491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MermaidOdair/pseuds/MermaidOdair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neither Spencer Reid, nor Maeve Donovan knew what to expect when they agreed to talk with each other, but now that they found love, neither of them will give it up. Not without a fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved. It leaves all the other secondary effects to take care of themselves. Love, therefore, is its own reward."

Thomas Merton

 

It is a bright a sunny afternoon, Spencer notices as he waits anxiously for the phone to ring again. He should have been used to it by now. Only that he isn't. Every time he waits for her to call him back, his mind wanders to every bad scenario that he had ever came to see in his line of duty.

He tries to focus his mind on the book he is supposedly reading -funny, he always seems to be reading Sherlock Holmes as he waits for her, an habit he got from their letters, always signed with aliases from the Arthur Conan Doyle books. It's one of her favorites, and he knows it.

A few moments later the phone rings again. He picks it up immediately and sighs in relief as he hears her sweet voice on the other end of the line.

"Spence?" She asks carefully, but he can hear a hint of a smile in her voice.

"Yeah, it's me." He answers and she laughs "How have you been, Maeve?"

"I have been good, I went to the store yesterday." Maeve answers and he smiles, the sole fact that she is feeling comfortable enough to leave her house is a good thing. That means she is not that scared anymore, and that she hasn't received any threatening messages lately. "Whithout a wig, or glasses, or a hat."

"That is really good." He smiles as he hears joyfullness, it makes him happy.

He is a men of science, of knowlege. And to him, love is, as a matter of fact, a combination of substances and hormones that are generated when two people meet and belive their genes would combine to reproduce. Simply a combination of genes and nothing else. But he has never met her before, he has no idea of what she looks like and she has no idea of what he looks like. So why would he know that he loves her?

But he does, he knew it even before she said it to him on their last phone call. He has not said it yet, of course, he should, never knowing if he will come back from a case or if her stalker will come and get her. But Spencer Reid wants to say it to her face, looking her in the eye, he wants to see the happiness on her face, the same one he felt when she said it.

"I think he is gone." She says quietly "I think he is gone now, for good."

He knew that stalkers were likely to only stop when they got caught, but if she hasn't recieved any messagae then maybe, just maybe, he stopped following her arround and hurting her. It was unlikely, but still a possibility.

"Did you hear me Spence?" Maeve says quietly and he realises he did not paid attention to what she had said to him.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat it?" He asks, somewhat embarassed and she giggles slightly. He had come to love the sound of it, the minute she answered the first phone call.

"I said that I want us to meet." Maeve replies quietly and Spencer is for a moment, lost of words. he knew this day would come, that he would see her someday, they talked about it, but there was nothing comfirmed yet. "I don't want to be scared forever Spence." She says and he had never felt more proud of her that he is now, she is fighting her demons, and he wants to help her with it.

"Just tell me where and when and I promise you I'll be there." He says and smiles, even tough she can't see it. "Do you have a place, or a date?"

"Well, you can pick a day where you will be able to meet me, but there's a restaurant I went once with my parents, it called 'Le Bistro', have you heard of it?" She asks, he did heard of that place before, and that will make things easier. It's nice that she has chosen a familiar place, that both of them know, now all he has to do pick is a date.

"Maybe saturday night? If that's okay with you." Spencer answers "And I know that place, it's a great restaurant, with a great atmosphere, calm and they play a great classical concert on the saturday nights." He muses.

"That is exactly why I chose it." Maeve laughs "Aparently we have the same taste for places."

"And music."

"And let's not forget the books." She adds.

"We do have a lot in common Dr. Maeve Donovan."

"Indeed we do Dr. Spencer Reid." She laughs and sighs on the phone. He knows it means it's time to go, an hour has passed and they better not run all their luck today, not when they must still be carefull for their meeting.

"This saturday, then?" Spencer asks her. "Around seven pm?"

"Yes, I can't wait for it." Maeve finishes "bye, I love you." And he notices she has gotten quite used to saying it, perharps an habit of making the most of her time, with the people she fancies. Emboldened by her words, he says it for the first time.

"I love you too." He was only meaning to say it after they meet but he knows how hwe feels and since she is not scared of saying those three words, he shouldn't be either.

"I'm glad to hear that, Spence." Maeve replies simply but he can once again hear the smile in her voice.

"And I'm glad you said it too." He smiles and mutters another goodbye, but waits for her to hung up first, just to make sure she heard his words. He sits there for a moment and then leaves.

It will be a long week ahead of him, and he is sure now that even if thgeir meeting is a day before their usual calls, time will go by even slower. But now he will meet her. And he can not wait for it.


	2. Chapter 2

"The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another."

Thomas Merton

Mondays were never a slow day for the BAU, always a diferent case, a different UnSub that needed to be caught before he hurted any more people. Even tough he doubted his works, wishing he could do more with his knowledge, Spencer enjoyed it. His teammates became his family.

Although they are his family, none of his coworkers knows about Maeve, a fact that he wants to keep that because of the danger she lives in, and the fact that he wants to meet her face to face first, even if the tought of it is making him terrified. Now that he has stopped to think about it, that is huge step in their relationship. A real risk and a great step to their relationship, which are, as a matter of fact, things he isn't used to.

He had never had a real girlfriend, one he would hope to get married and have children with, but he knows that if he does make a family with someone, then she's the one for it.

"Morning my fine furry friends." Garcia announces, entering the conference room to present the behaviour analyses unit new case. She was always like this, happy and bubbly, which was a very hard thing considering what she sees on her screens everyday.

"What do we have today, my baby girl?" Derek, in his usual confident and flirty tone asks.

"Our new case is in San Diego, so far three college students, with agaes between eighteen and twenty-two had been abducted and appeared dead two days after each kidnapping." Penelope answers as pictures of the girls show up on the big screen.

"They have been simply executed, a gunshot between the eyes, clean shot, our unsub is highly skilled." Spencer says, flicking trough the pages on his paper file. "Have they suffered any sexual assault?" He asks and Garcia nods in denial, and Hotch tells the team they'll leave in thirty minutes.

"What is it Spencer?" Alex asks him, noticing his distractive behaviour that morning and on the past weeks. "Is it about her?"

"Her?" Spencer asks, noticing Alex Blake is starting to realize the reason of his behaviour.

"The phone booth girl, the one you went to talk with that day." She explains, he knew that this day would come, it wouldn't take long for people to notice.

"Can you not tell anyone?" He asks "I just don't want to tell anyone now. Maybe later."

"I see, she's special then." Alex muses "Don't worry, you can tell me more later, if you want to. Now we better go."

Spencer follows her into the elevator, glad that she is not pressing him any further about his mysterious girl, and about the reason of calling in a phone booth. Maeve would probably laugh at the nickname she was given, she'd say: if I am the phone booth girl then you're phone booth boy. And somehow the thought of it made a wide grin appear in his face.  
***

The plane ride was filled with questions and theories about the case, with still no profile defined. Now as they waited for the results and interviews the team tried to reformulate and prepare their profile for presentation.

"So he doesn't have a specific type, he picked a blonde, a brunette and a redhead." JJ says after coming back from the morgue. "The girls have been kept hostage without any food or water."

"And the marks on their waist? Was is identified?" Spencer asks, looking at the new pictures she had brought.

"Apparently it was a chain, tied on the waist, so that none of them could go any where." Rossi answers for her. "It is effective way of keeping them."

"He'd need space to keep them, they were so signs of glue in their mouths of any fabric." Spencer notes and picks his phone "Garcia, I need you to look for mens, with an age above twenty, that own a house, or even a warehouse that has enough space on a basement to keep them hostage and tie with up chains."

"I'm on it sweet cheeks." Garcia says hanging up.  
***  
Maeve's days were usually the same, sometimes she would go out, other times she would just stay at home a read a book, or analyze some researches her old boss would sometimes send her. It was nice of him to do that, it kept her busy with something, and not thinking about being followed around.

As she sipped her tea, she thought of her iminent date with Spencer, and how much it was going to affect her life. Maeve has been scared for long, but that does not mean she is weak, only that she doesn't want anybody to get hurt for her. Because that is how it always ends. With people getting hurt, and that is not something she wants to happen, especially with Spencer, who has been so kind and with whom she slowly but surely has fallen in love with.

She still recaled their first letter, where he asked for suggestion on a treatment for his migrains after finding one of her published works on the subject, it is funny to look back and see how much their relationship has evolved. From a letter asking about a article she wrote, to a -somewhat strange for other people, who simply can't understand- love relationship.

She had been in only one serious relationship so far, and that has not ended well, but Bobby was nothing like Spencer. Spencer understood her, and didn't gave up, or ran away when she told him about the stalker, instead he belived in her and offered help. He did not understood when she didn't accepted it but he also did not pressed any further, agreeing with her reasons not to. She worried about him everyday, knowing of his dangerous work; he insisted that the chances of him getting hurt at the BAU were minimal, still, she knew that it is was a dangerous life that he lives.

To put that thought away, Maeve decided to go for a walk, but this time, she wouldn't take anymore chances. Making a disguise was relatively easy now, with her practice.

"What will I become today?" She muttered to herself, looking at her wigs. She had two, a blonde one and a light redhead one. Both chosen for not ressembling her dark red hair in any way. Her disguises had become a way of her to go out of her house and still remain safe. Her life had been a living hell for the past year, and it did not good that no one belived in her, most just thought of her as mad.

Deciding on her blonde wig, Maeve went to the ever familiar bookshop, with a specific book in mind. It's a book she wanted Spencer to have, even though she did not knew if he had already read or not, it was likely that he had, considering his love for Conan Doyle, but it was the book she was reading right before their first phone call.

"I would like the narrative of John Smith, please." Maeve said and the attendent nodded, turning arround and going into a small room on the back of her shop.

"What is your name? we need it for our selling file." She asked and Maeve bit her lip, thatw as always a tough part, having to lie about who she was. But it was her only way to remain hidden.

"Joan, Joan Clarke."


	3. Chapter 3

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strenght, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

Lao Tsu

"Alright, Miss." The shop attendant said with a bit too forced smile. "Here is your book."After receiving it and paying for it, Maeve left the shop and walked back to her home, taking a different path. It all just felt automatic to her now.

When you live with fear for so long, you learn to not trust anyone, you get scared of each person that walks behind you on the street, or that simply gives you a polite hello. That is the way Maeve is feeling for the past year and a half. Scared. Alone.

Spencer says she needs to try slowly, that it won't be easy, or fast, but that he will always be there to help her. She smiles remembering that even tough they only talk in public phone booths, he gave her his cellphone number, in case she needed to talk on a non-sunday day or she had a problem. It was such a sweet act of his -caring so much for her and about his friends too, always sounding happy whenever his godson comes up in the conversation (he was estatic when he told her Henry dressed as him for halloween)- that made her fall in love with him.

As she entered her house she quickly closes the door with her six locks, making sure that nobody would be able to get inside, unless she wants to. She makes sure to make a bow arround the book she just bought with a black ribbon, making it even more special for Spencer.

Their meeting is just a few days away now, and knowing Spencer as she had come to know, she is sure he is just as scared for it as she is. But love is a beautiful fear, and that is why she persue with it anyway. Meeting him means that she won't let this mad stalker -whoever he is- to ruin her life any more. It means she is taking control of her life again, and if Spencer wants to help her do it, then why not? Not that she will ask him to help her as an FBI agent, no that would be too dangerous, maeve wants his help as a friend, as her lover.

Gathering courage, Maeve opens her window courtins for the first time in months, it makes no sense to keep them that way Maeve thought He already knows where I live anyway. Courage comes with being loved, said Lao Tsu and Maeve feels loved now, and also stronger, ready to face the world again. And something tells her this new life will be great.  
***  
Days had passed and still there wasn't much to this case, Peneolpe's searches resulted in so many names possibilities that they needed more information. It was one of these tiring cases, were the team worked their best but felt like it was next to nothing.

A new victim appearead in the past evening, only worsening the mood of everyone. But it did made it better when they noticed that, as much as their original profile is right there is a fact they did not considered before.

"If our UnSub continued with his pattern, and he most likely is, he probably already has another girl now." David Rossi said as they sat in the table, building new theories.

"Or will get one in no time." Derek agreed.

"All our victims look different, but they are also very similar." JJ stated, gathering everyone's attention "They're all 'it-girls', they get noticed when they pass by."

"Go on, I think I understand what you meant." Derek spoke.

"Their deaths were simple, a shot in the head." She continued "The only thing that was done to them was being left alone for two days."

"Our UnSub is a lonely person." Spencer says "And she hates our victims for having all the attention she doesn't have."

"We need to change our profile, Garcia, search for womans in middle twenties, that own houses with baesments that are big enough and were extremely lonely in school and that remained that way." Hotch says.

"I am on it Bossman." Garcia said, with that confident voice of hers, happy to finally have a new clue on the case. "There are a few people."

"How many?" Alex asks getting closer to the cellphone in Hotch's hand.

"Three." Penelope begins "Clara Stone, Vivi Turner and Ruby Winter."

"Which one lives closer to the are they were abducted?" Spencer asks her.

"Ruby Winter, I'm sending you all lovelies the adress right now." Garcia finishes "Go get her and get back babies, Garcia Out."  
***  
It was a normal house, seemly common and ordinary, but of course it wasn't. The team silently made their way towards the back hoping to find a door to the basement.

The walk inside was quiet, no sound other than the screams of a terrified woman and laughter, both comming from oposite directions. Hotch made signal for the team to split, making JJ, Reid and Alex to folow the pleads of help, while Himself, Rossi and Morgan went towards the laughter.

Spencer went in the front, looking for anyone else that could be there, but gladly only the victim was there, a terrified red haired girl, that looked at them and begged for help.

"Don't worry, we're from the FBI, we will get you out of here." Alex speaks as JJ and Reid try to find a way to remove the chains of their latest victim. It takes some time, but they do manage to break the chain out of the wall and lead the girl outside.

Those are th good days, where the UnSub was caught, locked away in prision, and the victim was rescued, alive and well. Of course the trauma and the memories will remain with her forever, but she is alive and that makes it a good day in Spencer's opinion.

Just as he settles himself to take nap on the plane -as most of his friends are doing, after such a tiring case- his phone buizzes with a call, it's a number he can't reconize, but he decides to answer it anyway.

"Hello? Who is it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my wonderfull babies! Chapter three is here, and I have to say, I love what happens on the next few chapters of this story *mad shipper outbrust* so be on the lookout for it!


	4. Chapter 4

"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them."

Thomas Merton

"Spencer?"The voice asks, he would reconize that voice anywhere now. It's his only way of talking with her now. He gave her his number a few months ago, in a case of a emergency happening, but she had never called him until now. A part of him is with that same happiness that he has everytime they talk and the other is worried about her safety.

"Maeve?" He says, whispering to not wake anyone and also to not drawn any attention to them. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I am fine, I just wanted to ask you something." She answers softly "You sound tired, have I woke you up?" She asks and he notices how late it is.

"No, no. I haven't slept yet." He smiles "What is it that you want to ask me?"

"I just wanted to know if you will make the reservation on the restaurant or if I should do it." She speaks but he fells like there is more to it than she is saying. There's hat worried tone in her voice, the one she got when she told him the whole story of why she locks herself at home.

"I made it, at eight, ask for Reid and they'll show you where I'll be." He begun, answering her question before making one of his own. "Has anything happened? you sound worried."

"I just got tired of hiding, you know?" She answers, he can hear by the tone of her voice she is crying. " I'm just so stupid. Letting someone I don't even know that exists ruin my life like this."

"You're not stupid, I know that." Spencer answers "And I know you try so hard, and it's okay to fell bad and cry sometimes, don't bottle it, it is the worse you can do. Trust me."

"What would I do to ever thank you for all you're doing for me?" She asks and he can hear a small laugh between her now calmer sobs. "Thank you so very much Spencer."

"No, thank you. Or have you forgot that you're the reason my migrains have stopped?" He smiles "And just meeting me there will be enough."

"It's tomorrow, can you belive it?" She asks and he nods although she can't see it. "Five days have passed already. Although I must admit, it felt like much more."

"I can not wait to meet you." He grins "I love you, I hope you know that."

And he does, she means a lot more to him than she giver herself credit for.

" I do, and with that being said, I won't keep you up any longer." She says and as if on cue he yawns "Bye, love you."

She hungs up but Spencer stands still for a moment, with the case he haven't got much time to consider the proximity of their meeting. I less than twenty-four hours he will see Maeve. His nervousism is still present but all that happiness that keeps him away from canceling every thing.

"Was it her?" A voice asks, as he turns arround -perharps I wasn't as quiet as I thought I was- And sees Alex Blake staring at him, he knows it's time to stop hiding. So he sits next to her and nods. "So it was her. Glad it's not on a phone booth anymore."

"Me too." Spencer sighs and Alex looks at him confused, he notices he isn't hiding his emotions as well as he normally does. "She want us to meet."

"Wait! You guys" She begins but Spencer makes signal for her to talk more quietly "You two never met before?"

"No." Spencer admits.

"Are you not curious to know what she looks like?" She asks, still surprised by his previous statement.

"No, it doesn't matter what she looks like, she is already the most beautifull girl in the world to me." He says and Alex smiles, thinking of how lucky phone booth girl is to make Spencer fall in love.

"Then why are you concerned?" Alex sighs and Spencer gives her a sad smile.

"What if she doesn't like me?" He begins and Alex nods, finally understading where he getting at. "I am weird, I slouch, my hair is too long, My tie is crooked. Perharps my mother is right, I should get a haircut as soon as we land." He finishes.

There, he said it. That is what Spencer is scared of. All his life people had judged him by the way he looks, the way he talks and he had embarassed people before. And he doesn't want it to happen with Maeve, he wants her to like him, but people normally don't. All people see is the tall, weird nerd.

"I don't think she will care about your tie, or your hair." Alex says getting his attention after he decided to fix his tie. He shouldn't be worried about it, Maeve never sounded like she was supperficial. "Do you like her? Yes, of course you do." She says and he laughs a bit.

"But what if she doesn't like me?" he begins again but Alex cuts him off.

"Does she sound like she likes you?" Alex asked and he nodded a wide grin appearing in his face.

"She said she loves me." He admits and Alex gives him a huge smile.

"Then don't worry Spencer. Just meet her and have the most wonderful time." She says "Now if you wnat to make time pass by faster." She laughs "I suggest you to fall asleep now."

"I will, I want to be well rested and not looking like I haven't slep since 2001." He jokes.

As Spencer falls asleep, Alex doesn't see him as Dr. Spencer Reid, for a moment there, she felt a conection with her son Ethan, a conection she hadn't felt in so long. She only hopes that whatever mysteries he has with this girl, that it doesn't end in a tragedy.


	5. Chapter 5

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."

Ann Landers

Today is the day, in fact in a mere hour Maeve Donovan will finally meet Spencer Reid, face to face. It is saturday night, and Maeve must get ready to leave soon if she wants to be there in time. She sighs, brushing her hair, wondering why today, of all days, it had to look this bad.

She had never been so nervous for a date before, or ever cared much for her appearance, it all is just so futile, but and she would laugh at herself if she weren't so worried. She fell in love with every word, every laugh and every secret they shared, and not with something as unimportant as they way they look. She is sure he won't mind if her hair is a bit messy, or even the dark circles arround her eyes.

She finishes buttoning her mostard coloured cardigan, and deciding that she can't do much more for her appearance now, she leaves the house. She nearly forgets to get her bag on her way, too distracted about the events that will soon happen. She only hopes everything goes well and that Spencer isn't as nervous as she is.

Deciding to take the metro, maeve walks to the station, hoping to still be able to catch the train. She nearly misses it but manages to get in just in time. Taking the metro is still hard but she manages to make the entire journey with no problems other than the worry that normally floads her mind. She gets to the restaurant calmly but there are still some minutes left, so she just waits outside, sitting on a bench, reading the book she bought for him, writing a quote inside.

Counting every second until the hour finally comes and she walks in.

Spencer was staring at himself on the mirror for the past ten minutes. For some reason he thought Maeve will ran away the minute she sees him, if he doesn't look good enough. He wears purple, solely for the fact that his mother says he looks better on it -he hopes she thinks he looks good on it as well. He has that feeling, that butterfly in his stomach, like he is a in-love fifteen year old, who just asked a girl to prom.

But he is not, he is a man that is about to meet the love of his life, who he fell in love even with all the problems they had in this relationship so far. Maeve laughed when they talked about it in one of their calls, saying 'it's a great story for us to tell in the future, isn't it?', he hand simply laughed and answered that they would have the best stories to tell.

He grabs his messenger bag and walks out, making sure he was her gift inside. Maeve didn't said anything about gifts, but even then he thought that giving her one is agood idea. But roses and chocolates are too plain, too mundane, he wants something with a meaning and that will last for longer. Something taht will make her remember him. So he gets her a book instead.

He makes it to restaurant with time left and sits anxiously on the table. Spencer knows Maeve will be there, she promissed him she would. Just as his watch reaches eight o'clock, a few people walk into the restaurant, there's a couple that sits on a table next to his, but still no sign of anyone looking for him, he turns back to the chair in front of him and waits. He imagines every bad scenario, even tough that technically she isn't even late yet. Maybe her stalker got her, or she decided this was too reckless of them.

Trying to calm down, he takes a sip of water and gets back to stare a his watch.

"Good evening, miss. How can I help you?" The maitre asks kindly and Maeve smiles at him. She is there at precisely eight, hoping that he is already there, waiting for her.

"I got a reservation with Spencer Reid. Can you tell me where he is, please?" She asks, holding her bag a little tighter, the maitre simply smiles at her, most likely recognizing her nervousness.

"He is on table twenty, is right there." She finishes pointing to a table near the wall, is far from the windows to give more privacy. From the angle she is in, she can only see his messy, and slightly long brown hair, but nothing else, he is turned to face the chair in front of him. Maeve smiles -A real smile, that in the past year, had only happened when she called him, or read his letters- and the maitre says before turning around. "Have a nice date."

"I will, thank you very much." She answers and walks to the table. She knows why he chose to face the other chair. He wants her to see him first, he wants her to be as confortable as she can with this situation. She debates for a moment if she should touch his shoulder to let him know she is there or if she should just sit in front of him and make a surprise.

She decides for calling his name instead, but for a moment every word dies in her troath, she can't speak or do anything else for that matter. All she knows is that he is there, at arms reach. She clears her troath before saying anything, it draws his attention and she gasps, not knowing what to say or what to do. He is there, looking at her, with a surprised look that is quickly replaced for a smile, so bright it could out shine the sun. She knew she already loved the smile but now that she can see it, she loves it even more.


	6. Chapter 6

"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another."

Thomas Merton

Neither of them say a single word for what it feels like an eternity, but in reality are mere seconds. All they do is smile, until Spencer stands up and offers his hand, it's a shy, cautious act, like he is trying to touch a mirage.

She takes his hand and gets closer. That is what they have both been waiting for and longing since they first wrote, he can see her and she can see him. They're no longer voices or words on a paper. They're brown and blue-ish green eyes, they're smiles and they're reality.

"Maeve." Is all Spencer can say as she sits in front of him, still holding his hand tight, he holds her too, as if this is all just a dream, some sick twisted nightmare disguised as a dream and that she will dissapear at any second if he lets go.

She is even more gorgeous than what he could possibly imagine, her smile brightens the entire room and he hopes he doesn't seem like a creep for staring at her face for so long.

"Spencer." She answers and for some reason both of them start giggling. "It's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you too." He says and mentally kicks himself for not having anything better to say. Even with all his knowelege, all words don't seem enough to describe this moment, no word is enough to express her.

They sit there in a comfortable silence -no words are needed, they spoke to much in letters and phone calls anyway- just looking at each other and smiling like fools, until a waiter comes to get their orders. They haven't even looked at the menu yet.

"I, umm. We'll see." Spencer replies and they both take a quick look at their menu "I will order the parmegian chicken."

"For me as well." Maeve answers and the waiter goes off. "It's good to put a face to the voice."

"I'm sorry, I am just lost of words." He answers, and she smiles in understanding. "I planned so much I wanted to say to you."

"I see, we both have been waiting for so long and now all I wanted to say is just long forgotten." Maeve answers "But in the end, it's just like the phone, only diference is that now I can see you and you can see me."

"You are right."

In no time they are talking and laughing, just like they have been doing for the past ten months, telling stories about their family and childhood, their school years and books they've read.

"Oh come on, girls must have loved you in high school." Maeve laughs at him after asking if he had a childhood sweethart.

"No, I was just the weird kid, who shouldn't be there." He laughs back "It was bad, really bad."

"Well, I would have loved you then." She answers with a smile, and eats another bit of her dinner.

"Thank you, Dr. Donovan."

"You are welcome Dr. Reid." She answers.

The meal is over, and all too soon they must leave the restaurant, neither of them know what they would do now. They simply can't get back to phone calls and letters. Luckly there's still time to figure it out.

Walking out of the restaurant, but wanting to part ways just yet, Maeve asks Spencer to close his eyes and hold out his hands.

"But why?" He replies and she simply covers his eyes with her hand.

"I got you something." She answers,placing something on his hand and removing her hand, showing him a book. It's not just any book, it just happens to be the same book he got for her. It makes him laugh like a mad men, surely drawing attention to them, if they weren't alone, on the nearby park, where their only expectors are trees and flowers arround them.

When she asks him why he is laughing and if he didn't like it, he simply get the other copy out of his bag and gives it to her.

"I got you the same thing too." He replies and she too starts laughing. "It's quite funny, don't you think."

She smiles that sweet little smile of hers and he wishes he would be brave enough to do something, anything. Grab her hand, hug her, kiss her. But he isn't. He doesn't do anything, they just sit there looking at each other, until he opens his book on the first page -noticing how carefull she was, wraping a bow arround it, making it special just for him- and reads the quote inside of it.

" 'Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another.' Thomas Merton." He reads "It's one of my favorites quotes from him."

"Mine too. And it's my favorite book actually. Thank you." Maeve answers and gives him a peck on the cheek. It's quick and sweet, and he is glad she did it, for now it gave him the courage he needed.

"Thank you."

He turns to face her and leans in slightly, as to give her time to run away from him or to say she doesn't want a kiss. When she leans in as well, he kisses her. And it is lun-like anything that he could ever had expereinced before. For him the world stopped and the only people that exist are him and Maeve, and nothing else. No serial killers for him to catch, no stalker, nothing. Just Spencer Reid and Maeve Donovan.

But as all good things, it comes to an end. They part and she looks at him with so much love in her eyes -The same love he saw when she entred that room, mere hours ago.

"I love you." She states and he kisses her again, not caring if it's already late.

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they finally saw each other!


	7. Chapter 7

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies."

Aristotle

She has to leave him all too soon, needing to get back home. He knows that there is still a few minutes until her train arrives, but it will hurt to let her go.

"Do you have to go?" He whines, like he was small kid.

"I have to get my train, the other one is too late, and in case we haven't noticed, it's already past midnight." She answers pulling her coat a little tighter, and he nods. "Will we meet again?" She asks, that is something he doesn't have a single doubt on. Now that he met her, he can't simply not see her. Now that he kissed her, he can't simply not do that again.

"What do you think? Will I want to meet you again after this?" He jokes, and she playfully punches him on the shoulder, she laughs and he thinks that he haven't got this much fun in a long time. "I would see you every minute if I could."

"As would I, but sadly the world calls." She replies making his face twist into another of the many smiles he made this night.

"Would you belive if I told you that I was incredibly nervous for this?" Spencer asks and she nods at him.

"I was a wreck too, but you like seeing me, and I like seeing you, so I guess our worries were stupid." Maeve replies "Me, I worried that you wouldn't show up, or think I look like a mess."

"The only one that looks like a mess here is me, trust me." He says and she glares at him playfully.

"You don't look like a mess, I think you look very pretty." The minute she finishes saying those words, he blushes a deep shade of red, making him look even more adorable in Maeve's eyes.

"You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my whole life." Spencer answers her with a charming smile. "I hope that we can arrange another meeting soon."

"Me too, in fact, do you have a paper? I can get you my adress." Maeve asks him and Spencer quickly grabs his notebook and a pen and hands it out for her. She wites inside and hands it back to him, he retrieves it with a smile. "It's good to not hide anymore, visit me any day."

"I will." He answers "Maybe we can play chess."

She nods, just a her train arrives and she has to go, kissing him one last time.

"Bye Spencer." She says,boarding on the train.

"Bye Maeve" He says "Wait! Can I call you tomorrow?" Spencer asks.

"You can call me." Maeve answers "From your house if you want to, no need to go all the way to a phone booth anymore."  
***  
The following day was calm and quiet, happiness from the previous night still very present, he doesn't visit her that day, only calling her -even tough he would visit her, it was better not to- and chatting for a long time. You could think that after ten months of talking there would be no subject left, but they always created something to talk about.

He knew that his co-workers will notice the change in his behaviour and that Alex will most likely ask for every detail, but for once, he doesn't mind. He is a happy as he ever was, and no curious questions would ever be able to change that.

Walking early in the bullpen, Spencer notices that the only other person there are Penelope Garcia and Derek Morgan , Penelope is drinking some tea and Morgan is making coffee. She notices him and sits next to him, her cheerfulness as high as usual.

"Morning genius boy." He laughs, offering him a coffee and taking a sip of his own.

"Good Morning Garcia and Derek." He answers and she looks at him before breaking into a grin.

"You are happier, who was it? is it someone we know?" She asks, not even giving him time to answer the questions before speaking again. "I want details."

"Got a good weekend, I see." Morgan smirks. Profilers,making it always impossible to keep a secret for very long.

"Calm down, can't I just be happy? with no reason?" He tries but he knows they will not belive in him anyway. Maybe he can make them change the subject.

Spencer and Maeve had agreed to figure how to stop the stalker before gaoing public about their relationship. It would be easier and better to do that without the danger that surrounded their lives now.

"I have noticed you happier, and I'm not going to pressure you or anything, but seriously, I want to know her." Derek says "She's gotta be a hell of a woman to keep up with you."

He only laughs at them and says that they would be the first to know if something like that ever happens.

"If she makes pretty boy happy, then I like her." Gracia smiles and they all just start doing their work. There is no new case for the team until now and everyone is simply doing paperwork. Or just pretending to it and talking like Garcia and Derek.

It's the middle of the afternoon when he gets a note from Alex, who walks away after trhowing it on his table.

'meet me by the coffe room. -Alex'

He doesn't even bother to reply and ask what she wants. He knows she wants answers about how the meeting went. He won't admit it, but it fells nice to talk about it with someone, and Alex is the only one that really nows what is going on.

Her support had been a great help for them so far. And Maeve semmed to like her too when he mentioned yesterday that a friend had figured out about them, Maeve was glad she was helping Spencer keep the secret and even told him that she would like to meet Alex one day.


	8. Chapter 8

"We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone."

Orson Welles

Spencer did as he was asked and followed Alex to the small room in the back, where the BAU agents go to get their enourmous supply of coffee -although Spencer must admit that he is the one that is seeing drinking it more often- and snacks.  
Alex was already there, a mug of the steaming liquid in her hands. He knew that she would ask him about it, so he began talking, not even waiting for a question.

"I was right, she is the most beautiful girl in the world." He begins, a wide smile on his face, one of those special smiles that reach your eyes and make you look passionate by whatever you are talking about. That's the smile he has now. "She's so smart and clever, and I love her so much, I really do."

"She's got you wrapped around the finger, hasn't she?" Alex laughs, quietly as if she is keeping a secret. Which in fact she is. "One day, when you two get married, and don't even look at me like that," She states "I will tell this story, of how I saw the profiler falling for the geneticist."

They had never touched the subject of marriage, but it's one of those things that simply fell right. Spencer knows that he will be ready for it, and when she is ready, then they can get married and have a family of their own, maybe with lots of baby geniuses running around.

That fells as right as anything has ever felt.

"I told her that you know about us." He says "She said to me that she would like to met you one day."

Alex, who was sipping her coffee, looks surprised at him. "Are you sure? I thought that nobody would meet her, until it was official."  
"We are finding ways and we think that after we find out who this creep is, we would love if you could meet Maeve. I think you two could get along very well." He answers.

"If she is all you say, then she sounds like some one I would be friends with." Alex answers with a smile "I hope it all works out Spencer, I really do." But her smile fades as she asks him one last thing. "How will you two manage? The stalker?"

"We don't know for sure, just yet, but I know I want to help. We will analyse our options." Spencer replies.

"We are ready to help, I mean, I am sure everyone would like to help anyone that can make you this happy." Alex muses "Just think about that."

"I will, and I'll ask her about when can we arrange that meeting for you two."  
As Spencer walked away, a few minutes after Alex did, with a cookie and a mug of coffee, he decided to visit Maeve tonight. He would call her and see if he could, and if she answered yes, then he would be there like a lighting bolt.  
***  
Maeve heard a knock at her door, which was ,in fact, very strange. Visits were unlikely, and it couldn't be her stalker, could it? To this point he had never actually went there to scare her, only calls and messages and pictures that were sent to her by the mail.

But never visiting her house, that was one of the reasons why the police didn't helped her. Saying there was nothing they could do, until he hurt her.  
It could also be Spencer, who she recently had given her adress too. Only that Spencer would call her, knowing that showing up unexpectedly would scare her.  
The person knocked again, and Maeve chose to open the door. She decided to grab a kitchen knife, since she was at the kitchen anyway, it was better to be prepared for whoever this person was. If it was Spencer, then she'd be glad to see him. If it was her stalker, then at least she would have a chance to protect herself.

She opened the door slightly, holding the knife tightly behind her back. It was woman, she looked familiar but Maeve thought she may had seen her at a university she teached, or her previous work or anywhere else."M-may I help you?" She asked carefully to the black haired woman.

The woman offered a smile that made her skin crawl and her guts pretty much yell at her to run away. She did not knew who she was or what she wanted, but Maeve had a feeling that it wasn't good.

"Is this the house of Mr. Martin?" She asked and Maeve knew it was a lie, but in order to somewhat have 'the upper hand', she pretends she has no idea of what is happening.

Maeve noticed that there was a very high chance that this could be her stalker. Spencer had told her that, yes, most stalkers are males but the chances of being woman are still present.

Are in times like this, that Maeve wonders why is all of this happening. She doesn't remember hurting anyone in her life. or anyone so jealous or obessed enough that would do that to her.

"No, but I think there's someone named Martin on the end of the street." Maeve replied and attempted to close the door.

But the woman was too quick, pushing Maeve to the ground and walking inside, it was fast and Maeve managed to get the knife and tried to cut this mysterious woman, but she only managed to make a couple cuts on her arm before she took a needle and hit her.

From then it was a blur, she could fell that she was being taken somewhere but had no strenght to open her eyes or fight.

She doesn't want to die. Not now, when she has so much she can do, so many people she can meet, so many people she can help. She only hopes that this isn't the end. Because she may not have strenght to fight now, but she won't give up just yet.


	9. Chapter 9

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured."

Mark Twain

Maeve wakes up in a large dark room, no one in sight, her head hurts, she can fell that there is blood dripping from her forehead but she can't do anything to clean it with her hands tied up on that wooden chair.

She wonders how long it will take until anyone notices that she is gone. What makes her even more nervous is that the one to realize it will most likely be Spencer. He would probably call her sometime, or worse visit her and see that she is gone.

She hopes that whatever this woman does to her, that it will be quick, not for her sake, but for his. He had suffered so much already, and she doesn't want to be another name on that list.

She knows that one he knows she is missing; he will go looking for her. She only prays that he can get in time.

"Well, well, well." A cold voice says, entering the room. "Looks like sleeping beauty woke up."

"Who are you?" Maeve asks anger in her voice.

"DON'T YOU KNOW ME?" The woman yelled at her, coming closer, gun in her hand.

Maeve tried to focus on remembering but as much as she tried she couldn't, so deciding to be brave, she asks for her name.

"You think you're so smart, don't you?" she asks "You can't remember huh? Bet you don't even remember my project research?" She laughs in superiority.

One thing Maeve did as a project analyzer at Mendel university was read works and identify flaws in them. She had read so many works, that couldn't remember her. But for this woman to be so angry, it had to be a work she and the rest of the committee rejected.

She attempts to remember which one may have belonged to this dark haired and angry woman but there are too many possibilities.

"My work is brilliant!" She continued, in a fit of madness. Maeve was scared now, knowing that the best she could do was play along her madness.

"I know that it must have been, and I am sorry." Maeve started "but I was never the only voter in the committee, I never had a voice there."

"I, Diane Turner, a brilliant, a prodigy, didn't get accepted but all your works did." She began, finally giving Maeve a name. Now she remembered vaguely a project about cells dying before a person committed suicide spontaneously. It had many flaws and was completely biased; therefore no one would ever accept it for a PhD. "You were all wrong! I am a genius!"

"Maybe." Maeve says, going perhaps too far "But the sample was biased, it was against the law, there was nothing we could do."

"But that's not all. They gave you a PhD, and not me." She continued, angrily. "I want what you have. You have a perfect life."

"Well, I am sorry." Maeve replies as Diane walks towards her, untying her from her chair. Maeve wonders why she is doing that. She knows that this woman will not let her go easily, and as she leads Maeve to the roof, she can see why.

The railing is low, and Diane pushes Maeve to it, gun aimed at her.

"Can't you feel it? You're slowly dying." She says, quoting her work. "Jump. Now."

"You want to kill me? Then do it." Maeve replies, looking her in the eye and gathering up all her courage. "But I'm not going to jump."

The last thing she sees after Diane hits her head with the back of the gun is pitch black.  
***  
Spencer is worried about Maeve. He was always worried about her, only that now, he sadly has a reason to. He called her and for the first time in ten months, she didn't answer. No one did.

That's why he is doing this, driving as fast as he can to the address of her house. He did not told anyone yet -holding on the chance that her phone has simply broken or ran out of battery or that she decided to take a walk.

But that is not what he sees as he arrives there. His first sign that something is wrong is the open door of her small house.

By his much conversation with her, he knew that safety is a big deal for her. Then why would she leave her door wide open like this?He thinks as he walks in and gasps at the sight in front of him.

There's signal of fight -much like the crime scenes he had come to see in the past ten years- and some blood on the floor. He can also see a knife, dirty with blood and a syringe, he can't see what could be the content of it but he imagines it could be some sort of drug that would make Maeve easy to control, whoever this person is, he knows Maeve would be able to fight her way out. She would not let herself being taken easily.

He tries to imagine what else could have happened, but his mind can't really focus on anything, other than the fact that she is hurt, and scared and most likely being held hostage right now.

He remember when he was taken hostage himself, and of how scared and alone he was at that moment. Thinking that no help would ever come.

He needs help.

He knows that he told her, he wouldn't get his team on this, but it's an emergency.

He immediately calls Alex, for she is the only one who knows about Maeve. That way it will be easier to explain it to everyone.

"A-Alex?" He asks, he can barely focus right now, and he doesn't think he will be able to help Maeve like this. He looks just like all these people whose loved ones had been kidnapped that he sees every month. He can't think of anything other than the worst.

Spencer can only hope that his beloved Maeve doesn't end up dead like on most cases he sees.

He doesn't think he will be able to live if she dies. He can't let her die. He won't let her. die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I got to that sad part we all hate of 'zugzwang' but have no fear lovelies, the angsty and sadness won't last forever. *hides with fear in a corner*


	10. Chapter 10

"The greater your capacity to love, the greater your capacity to feel the pain."

Jennifer Aniston

"Spencer?" Alex asks and Spencer sighs in relief as he hears her voice "what is wrong?"

"He took her. The stalker took Maeve." He began, his voice breaking, nearly crying now. "I really need help, please."

"Where are you?" Alex started, her voice filled with concern "can you drive? Do you want me to pick you?" She asks, her oblivious concern for them showing.

"I'm going to the BAU; can you ask everyone to be there? Please?"

"Of course, don't worry Spencer, we'll find her." Alex states, and for once, he believes in that possibility. They'll find her and once they do, whoever is doing this with her will pay for it.

As Spencer arrived at the BAU building, he was glad that everyone was already there, that way they could start soon and solve all this quickly. But most of all, they could help him find Maeve.

"So, Alex told us that a friend of yours is missing?" JJ starts but as she notices how sad and miserable he is looking she quickly goes over to give him a hug.

"She's not just a friend." He began, now sitting on a chair with every other team member in front of him. "She's just so incredible."

"You love her." Hotch says, it's not a question, it's simply clear. Everything about how he is screams that he is in love with this mysterious woman.

Spencer nods, but his next statement breaks them. "Please, I need to find her, I need her."

"Don't worry kid. We will help you, but we need to know everything about her." Morgan answers and Spencer begins to say everything that he learned about her stalker and Maeve, only leaving a few bits that weren't necessary like the personal things they shared over the months. He kept this part a secret because Spencer Reid was never one to talk much about him, and others, and telling them about everything Maeve means to him was already a big enough of a step.

Hotch was quiet during the whole talk, all of this simply reminded him of Haley and how much her death has hurt him. He definitely doesn't want Spencer to go through the same of what he has, he knows that if this girl dies, then Spencer will most likely never be the same again.

"Alright, if you don't have a picture, then I'll search and you tell me if it's her, okay?" Penelope said, quickly grabbing her computer and searching for Maeve.

Spencer walks away then, but he isn't followed by anyone, all of them understanding that their youngest member needs some space.

"He really loves that girl." Alex began "I hope they're both strong enough to face this, because neither of them deserves that. You should have seen how happy he was when she called him on the plane and how happy he was this morning as he talked about her, I'd hate to see that end in tragedy and loss."

"Then we find her and get kid and his girl together." Rossi spoke, and the team started on with their work, Garcia searching for Maeve online and the rest went to her house with Spencer.  
***  
As Maeve woke once more in that dark room, she saw Diane there, gun in one hand and a cellphone on the other. She stared even more angrily at Maeve, until she dialed a number and made a call, placing the gun on a nearby table and walking to her.

Maeve wonderers who could she call, does she has a partner, perhaps? Or is this a different trick to break her even more?

Diane laughs coldly as she sees the confused look on Maeve's face. She put the phone on speaker and placed her hand on Maeve's mouth.

"Who is it?" A voice asked nervously and Maeve immediately knew who she had called. It was the same voice she had been hearing for months and a voice she finally gave a face a couple days ago.

"Zugzwang." Was all Diane answered before she turned it off and looked once more at Maeve.

Zugzwang. Diane knows quite well what it means, and she knows that both Maeve and Spencer are very familiar with it. It's a clear message. They cannot win, everything that they try will cause them damage and loss.

"I won't let you hurt him." Maeve says "He has nothing to do with this."

"That's wrong, my dear. Dr. Spencer Reid has everything to do with it." Diane answers simply, as if she was talking to a child. "I was okay with just scaring you and making sure that you'd never be smarter than me. But even then you manage to get happy. And as I said earlier, I want what you have. I. Want. Him. To. See. You. Suffer"

"Don't do this." Maeve pleads, knowing that Diane would kill him in a heartbeat if he doesn't play with her.

Maeve wonders how far Spencer would go to protect her. Would he play Diane's sick game? She knows that this is a strategy they use often, playing the game of the enemy, letting him think he'll win so that they can catch him. But she knows that it will be hard for him to do that, knowing that Diane is Maeve's stalker and kidnapper.

Spencer loves her, she knows that. And she loves him, more than her own life. Maeve then makes a promise to herself.

She will never let Spencer Reid die for her, as she knows he would.  
***  
The minute Spencer received that call he knew that his fear is a reality. This person has Maeve and knows about them. And worse of all, has no fear of hurting her.

"Zugzwang." He can still hear it in his head, the anger and the control this person has.

"It's going to be okay, Reid." Morgan spoke; they were outside of her house now, not entering yet because of the call.

"How can you be so sure?" Spencer asks.

"Because I know you, kid. And you won't give up, will you?" Derek answers him with a reassuring smile, as they walk inside Maeve's house.

"No, never." He answers truthfully "I wouldn't give up on her."


	11. Chapter 11

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."

Helen Keller

As the BAU team walked into the house, at first, it seemed like every other victim's house that they ever entered. There was glass and some blood on the floor. Nothing new for a hostage victim.

Spencer distanced himself from the rest, and began looking at the rest of the house. There was a big book shelf that covered an entire wall in the living room, as well as a small couch and a table. As he crouched down to get something on the floor, JJ approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I gave this to her." He whispered, but he knew JJ could hear him. "Want to know a funny thing?"

"What?" She asked him, and saw his face form into a sad smile.

"She gave me the same book." He replied, holding the copy of 'The Narrative of John Smith' a little tighter in his hands. "We had no idea that we got each other the same books, but we exchanged them anyway."

JJ did not have time to answer before they were called by Hotch, who had found something in the kitchen.

Derek was holding a tablet in his hands and Spencer doubts it could belong to Maeve.

She had told him before that she did not owned one and he doesn't think that she bought a tablet recently. "It's not hers." Spencer said "she told me she didn't have one."

"We should take it to Garcia, see what she can find." Alex answered and they nodded. "Come Spencer, you should go with me."

Alex and Spencer left and went silently to the BAU, Spencer not wanting to talk and Alex not knowing what she could say to make this better.

Garcia wasn't acting as bubbly happy as she is, and just went to look at the tablet straight away. And for the first time in his life, Spencer Reid refused coffee.

"You were right; there are no traces in this tablet that say this could belong to Maeve." Penelope Garcia began "But I found an article in here, that i think you should read, Spencer."

Spencer quietly took the tablet and started reading -he'd very much rather if they had it on a paper version, but they didn't have time for that. It was a work on spontaneous cell death right before a person commits suicide, he can see innumerous mistakes on it, without mentioning that it doesn't even make sense to begin with.

"It's a typical work for a PhD." He begins "It's utterly wrong."

"Any clues on it?" Alex asks and Spencer looks at it once more.

"It was send to Mendel University." He replies and manages a small smile "Maeve worked there. She mentioned she worked in the project committee."

"That's good, it's not much but at least we have something to work on." Penelope Garcia muses "I'll see if I can find out who wrote it. If it's on the tablet then that must belong to whoever was the writer of this research."

"I would like that, Garcia." Spencer answered her and Penelope gave him a sweet reassuring smile that made him fell a little better, despite the anger and the hurt that filled his mind this moment.

Maeve never mentioned this particular research on their calls or letters, perhaps due to the fact that she never thought that one of her researches could make someone hate her this much. Spencer only hoped that whoever this person is, that they only wish to scare her and not kill.

"You should eat something, Reid." Alex tried, but it was in vain, nothing that anyone could do, would take his mind away from Maeve.

The rest of the team returns an hour later, with no more evidence than what they already had earlier. Their only hope now is Penelope and whatever she can find about that particular essay on her computers.

She returns to the room a few minutes after the team started working on the profile, even with the little evidence. She found that the work was made by a student named Diane.

"Did Maeve ever mention someone with that name?" Rossi asks and Reid shakes his head in denial.

"No, we didn't mention the essays she worked on at Mendel much, mostly because she was part of the committee for little time. She worked more with patients and researches of her own." The youngest profiler explained. "But I believe that if we look at rejected researches during the year she worked there and look for a last name on this Diane to compare, and then we will find Maeve."

"You guys heard, that's our best shot now." Hotch said and allowed himself a small smile as he saw the young genius determination in saving his girlfriend.

Hotch doesn't know Maeve, but he knows that for her to make Spencer Reid fall in love, than she must be intelligent and, quite frankly a hell of a woman. He only hopes that's enough for her to hang on to, until they get there.

"I'm on it, boss man." Garcia replied.

It had been exactly ten hours and fifteen minutes and four seconds since Spencer knew about Maeve's kidnapping, and so far no address for them to check or anything other than a research, a call that said a single word and a name for them to work with, but no one would give up, or stop looking.

When JJ returned with Garcia to the conference room, with a relieved expression on her face, Spencer knows that they have something.

"We got an address on this girl, as well as last name." Garcia began "Meet Diane Turner."

Jennifer jareau explained all that they found on her, how her family committed suicide, how she lived in foster homes all her life and that she applied for a PhD at Mendel university a couple years ago. Spencer didn't really cared about her history or anything, all he could think was that this woman was hurting Maeve. But even then, he understands that if he wished to save Maeve, then he has to learn all he can about this woman, because something is telling him, deep in his heat, that it won't be any easy to get Maeve back safe and sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *pokes out of corner* Hey babies! We're nearing the end, only three chapters left! And an epilogue! Hope you all can handle this angst, it will be over soon, I promise!


	12. Chapter 12

"We are meant to love. We are meant to lose. Love is our promise of a bittersweet end, and our desperate, hopeless struggle not to hurt anyone along the way."   
Courtney M. Privett, Mayfly Requiem

Maeve is sitting restlessly on that chair. She has stopped counting the hours after she was taken, knowing that being aware of them would only make everything even more hard to take. She knows NOW that Diane comes and goes, playing a game with her mind.

Her latest trick was showing her pictures. Pictures of her, walking around, even with her disguises on. But there is one picture that hurts her the most.

It is of her and Spencer kissing after their date on the restaurant. It hurts Maeve to know that Diane was there and that she knows all about them and watched their date.

She does not have time to answer her because she hears a knock on the door.

"I guess your prince charming came to your rescue, huh?" Diane said "This is going to be the best party you both could ever go to."

Diane goes to answer the door, but first she places a chair right in front of Maeve and takes the gun. There's some talking but it's too low for her to understand what is being said.

Spencer gets dragged inside and sits on the chair; he is obeying everything, but never taking his eyes off Maeve. He looks at her reassuringly, as if to say 'I will protect you'. She looks at him on the same way.

His words are soft as he speaks with Diane, being so calm and understanding with her, that Maeve almost doubts of why he is there. But then she notices his fingers and how they are tapping on the armchair.

It's a code for something, it takes Maeve a while to fully understand, but once she does, every little doubt that could ever fill her mind goes away. It's the Morse code and it says 'I LOVE YOU.'.

She wants to say it back -Oh how she wants to- but she can't. Not with Diane standing right in front of her.

"Can we make a deal?" Spencer asks all of the sudden and makes Diane turn at him. "Me for her, I'll take her place."

"Why?" Diane asks and Spencer swallows hard.

"Because I read your work. And it's brilliant." He says and Maeve starts to understand his plan. "And if you kill her, or me, then you'll go to jail or die."

"So?" Diane asks. "Why would I let her go?"

"If either of these things happens, then your brain will be wasted, think of all the great things you could do. That we could do." It disgusts Spencer to say those words, but he knows that with Diane Turner that is his only way. "If you kill Maeve, then she will not have to live with the fact that you are smarter then her."

"Then say it." Diane asks glaring at him, holding her gun tighter. "But say it to her face; say that you never loved her."

He doesn't want to, but he knows he has to. He only hopes that Maeve understands.

"I don't love you. Sorry." Spencer answers, obeying Diane and breaking his own heart in the process.

"I understand." Is all Maeve replies. He only hopes that she truly understands what he meant with these words.

"See, isn't it better when we're all true to each other." Diane muses, untying Maeve from her chair. Spencer sighs in relief, but he knows that this isn't over yet. "I only want you, Dr. Maeve Donovan, to see one thing before you leave."

Diane then, unties Spencer and makes him stand up; he doesn't know what to do now, especially as he doesn't even have time to process what could happen as Diane kisses him.

He is motionless, showing no emotion at all, he tries to hide his disgust of her but Diane notices and backs away.

"LIAR!" She shouts and before either Maeve or Spencer could do anything, she shots him.

Maeve tries to run, to check on Spencer, make sure that he is okay but she can't, she can only watch him falling to the ground as Diane hold her, with the gun on her throat.

She doesn't even try to hide her relief as Spencer stands up weakly. His shoulder is bleeding but Spencer shows no sign of pain.

It's the adrenaline and Maeve knows that once that adrenaline is gone he will have pain but right now she is glad that the bullet did not hit him in any place that could cause him a bigger damage.

Other people walk in now, with bulletproof vests and guns in their hands. Maeve wonders that there's a big possibility that this are his teammates -She knows he wouldn't come here all by himself. Spencer makes a stop signal with his hands, as if to tell them to not shoot.

"We have a DEAL, let her go." Spencer argues with Diane, who only pushes the gun at Maeve's neck harder.

"Well, you lied." Diane says.

"I did everything you asked." Spencer continues "The deal is still on, but if you pull that trigger then I won't help you. Me for her, let me take her place." He repeats.

"Don't do this Spencer." Maeve pleads, making him look her in the eye. She can see the fear in his eyes, she is scared too, but she knows that if he switches places with her, then that means that he will die.

Spencer doesn't reply her, just looks at her and then glares at Diane.

"Thomas Merton." Maeve says, looking softly at him. No other ´person in the room understand the meaning of this name. They can know who he is, but no one knows why this means the world to them. It these two words she says everything: I love you, I'm sorry.

When he replies, repeating those two words, she knows that he will love her forever no matter what. Just as much as she loves him.

"Who is he?" Diane screams at Maeve, fingers on the trigger, ready to pull.

"He is the one thing you can never take away from us." Maeve answers her boldly. She knows that's he's angered Diane, but she also knows that Diane herself knows she can't win. That's why she places the gun on her own head.

"Don't do this Diane, please." Spencer begs at her, but there's nothing that he can do now. Maeve knows that if she pulls the trigger then they'll both die. And that Spencer will watch it.

That's her only sorrow.

A gunshot noise blasts through the air and the last thing Maeve hears as she falls to the ground is Spencer screaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry lovelies! I promise that it will get better in the next chapter! But tell me what you guys think about it! And thank you a lot to my faithfull lovely awesome reviewers! You area ll awesome!


	13. Chapter 13

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."  
Robert A. Heinlein

As Maeve and Diane fall onto the ground all that is heard are Spencer sobs and screams. And for once, it feels like the whole world has stopped moving. Surely grieving for the loss of such a sweet soul like Maeve Donovan.

There's blood on the hard cold floor, and no one can tell if it's only Diane or Maeve. It's most likely both.

After a few seconds -that felt like a true eternity- Spencer reaches out for Maeve. Derek and Rossi try to hold him, but he fights them off, picking her lifeless body off the ground.

"Please don't go, please don't go." He whispers and he holds her body, she looks so peaceful. His clothes are dirty with blood now, that are mixed with his tears. He notices then that her chest is moving. It's slow and he hopes this isn't just a trick of his mind, in denial that she is gone.

But it moves and he screams for help, calling for medics. He knows that they're down there, waiting to be called and he does. Hotch comes closer, and he can too, see that Maeve Donovan is alive. Barely, but she is.

"Get paramedics in here now!" Hotch yells and the paramedics try to take him away from her, but it's in vain. He won't let her out of his sight again.

"Sir, move out of the way!" They say and he does. But only because that will mean keeping her alive.

He follows them, like he is a robot, automatic. Like he belongs there, with her.

They let him in the ambulance with her, trying to patch his arm too, but Spencer isn't letting them do it. "Take care of her first, her. Not me. "He can fell the ambulance stopping, and he knows that they are at hospital now. Spencer sighs in relief, knowing that her best chances are if she gets her surgery now, and that her injury hopefully looks worse than it really is.

"Mr. Reid?" A doctor asks as they take Maeve inside, he only turns to look at her when Maeve can't be seen through the emergency room open glass doors. "You'll need to be checked, your arm is bleeding." He nods at her and allows himself to be lead inside.

They're analyzing his wound as his teammates arrive there. They can't let everyone with him, so only Alex Blake walks inside.

"I will be going to surgery now." He says simply, and continues "they let me chose if I want now or later."

"And you chose now? May I ask why?" Alex wonders. Wouldn't he want to stay here when Maeve gets back?

"The surgery that I will get, won't take long, so when I finish mine, it won't take too long for hers." Spencer explains "if I get later, I would have to stay away from her then, and I will never be away from her again. Not even for a surgery on my arm."

"She will be just fine Spencer." Alex states. "She's a real fighter."

He sees his team before he goes in the operation room; everyone is wishing him all the luck and telling him that the worse is over for both of them.

"I talked with some doctors; they said that she's fine." Rossi assures him "The bullet didn't go all the way, it did injured and cracked some of her skull, but they say that she's luck."

"Now go in there and get back soon cause we want to meet your girl properly." Derek says and Garcia nods.

"I want to meet her, but don't worry we'll let you guys have your moment." Penelope Garcia stated, back in her cheerfulness. Everyone was confident, believing that the worse was over.

And it truly is. Because now, Diane is dead, there is no stalker, no more secrets. All Spencer and Maeve have to do now is an operation, and hopefully wake up next to each other.

Spencer is being prepared for surgery, and as nurses lays him and gets him ready for the anesthesia; his mind is focused in one thing and one thing only. He does not want to wake up in a world without Maeve Donovan in it. It wouldn't be worthy living in it, after all who else would make this a better world to live?

"Bye." He says and slips into a dreamless sleep.

On the other side of the hospital, a group of people waits anxiously for news, they don't know what will happen with his friend and his loved girlfriend, but they do know one thing. It could be worse.

"So, Alex." Derek began "You were the only one who knew, why?"

Even though they knew a few things about Maeve and Spencer's relationship, they were also very curious, and turned the only person they knew is aware of nearly everything about them.

"He asked me to take her to a phone booth one day when we were on a case." She begins "And he didn't tell me everything at once. Only when she called him when we were coming back from the last case."

"Why she called him?" Garcia starts.

"I don't know, they were planning on meeting, so I guess they were getting the details right." Alex explains "I asked him if he wasn't curious to what she looked like. Do you want to know what he answered?"

"Of course we do. But knowing Spencer, I know he wouldn't mind of her looks." JJ says with a small smile.

"He told me that it didn't matter, that she was already the most beautiful girl in the world to him." Alex smiles "And then after he met her, he told me yesterday that he was right."

"AWW, that's so sweet." Garcia smiled "I already got them a name: raeve."

"Wait, wasn't her name Maeve?" Rossi exclaimed which earned a chuckle from the BAU tech genius.

"It's a mixture between Reid and Maeve." She explained. "And before you ask, is because I want to. I like that way."

"Okay, since you say so." Rossi said, knowing it was better not to argue. Spencer's surgery wouldn't take much longer, not now when the team managed to distract themselves with small talk and some rare smiles. Maeve's surgery, on the other hand, is a lot more complicated. And they surely don't want to tell Spencer when he waked up that his beloved us gone.

They know that this matter isn't in their hands anymore, that they did all they could. And they did a good job, because at least now, Maeve and spencer have a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks to all those lovely reviews I decided to post this chapter earlier than what I had planned. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.


	14. Chapter 14

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."   
William Shakespeare

As Spencer wakes up after his surgery, the first thing he sees is a bright white light. He has to blink multiple times to get himself adjusted to the light in the room.

But as his eyes manage to focus he notices that he is in a hospital room. It's big and there is a big curtain that splits it in half. He wonders why it is there. Then a happy thought crosses his mind.

Would Maeve be already here? Did I slept that long? He wonders, there is not a single watch in the room, at least not where he can see. But again, the whole room is being divided by a salmon colored curtain, so he can't exactly see all of it.

He gets up, shakily and barely manages to stand up -his anesthesia not fully over yet- having to hold on to the bed and later on the curtain itself with his good arm so that he wouldn't fall. He pushes it away slightly, being careful to not make any noise that could startle the other person in the room.

He hopes she is already there, it wouldn't make any sense to place a divisor on the room on this case, not when he just had a surgery and would get one of his own, it could only be if the hospital was too full or if it was for him and Maeve to be in the same room.

And there she is, his lovely Maeve Donovan, sleeping after her surgery on a bed not too far away from his own.

She is alone there, looking pace full as if she was still unconscious but the beeps and noises of the machines attached to her let him know that she is alive. Spencer can't bring himself to try to wake her up, knowing that if she wakes up on her own it will get her a better recovery, which is all he hopes. He couldn't bear to lose her now, not when they fought so much to be allowed together.

He can't bring himself to go back to his own hospital bed either.

So he decides to lay there with her. It takes him a while to find a good position, one that won't hurt her or his injured arm in a sling, but that at the same time will let them near each other. He can't place his arm around her, because of his sling but with his other arm he can at least hold her hand.

He doesn't even realize that he falls asleep. He sleeps so peacefully that the doctors, nurses and his own team won't dare to wake him up -Penelope simply takes a picture on her phone. Spencer only wakes up when he senses her body moving and her hand lightly stroking his forehead.

"Mae?" He asks hopeful that this isn't a dream. "Are you feeling well?"

"Spence." She replies with a smile as he kisses her hand. "It's over now. Isn't it?" Maeve questions him and he nods "then I couldn't feel better."

She then notices the sling in his arm and looks at him sadly as if it's her fault. "I'm sorry I got you shot. I should have done something."

"You did everything right. I got myself shot, you saved us both." He replies "if you have let me trade places, which I would do in a heartbeat, then she would kill me. You saved my life."

"And I could never let you die for me. You make the world a better place." Maeve smiled at him. He is sat on the bed now, her head placed carefully on his chest. "I am sorry."

"No, I am. I should have done something, she could have killed you, and I nearly let her kill you. She shot you in the head." Spencer says, he knows that this is going to be the hardest for them. Learning to live with the guilty that both of them fell for that night is difficult but he is sure that he and Maeve can make it.

"Can we deal with our guilty later?" Maeve smiles "I'm just happy we're both fine now, really."

"Still, I am sorry I lied. I love you, hope you know that." Spencer says and she chuckles. "That fells so good to say."

"When I said I understood, I really do. I never doubted you." She smiles at him once more and he smiles back "and I love you too."

They are so lost in their own little world, talking to each other and smiling like a pair of fools, that they can barely notice the small group of people that entered the room. That is until they hear someone whispering an 'awwn!' at them and some wolf whistles.

Both Spencer and Maeve blush as they see that the entire BAU team is at the door. Garcia is the very first to approach them, carefully hugging Reid and looking at Maeve before pulling her into a hug as well. Maeve doesn't know them yet, but she knows that they are good people, so she likes them.

"It's so nice to finally meet you." She says "Although, Spencer didn't tell us much, in fact we didn't even know he got a girlfriend." Both Spencer and Maeve chuckle at her small comment.

"I knew." Alex comes forward and sits on the end of the bed "It's good to see you both alive and well."

They talk and the presentations go smoothly, with Spencer and Maeve telling them how they started talking, and the team telling how happy they were for them. Except for the part where they all tell embarrassing stories of Spencer, such as the eviler twin theory and the fear of elevators.

"I swear to you, he was terrified." Derek laughs and Maeve giggles.

"That's a common fear." Maeve says "In fact most people have it."

"Oh boy, are you the statistical kind? How are we dealing with two geniuses now?" Derek laughs.

They leave them after an hour of talking, not being allowed to stay with them for much longer.

"Thank you." Maeve says to them, as she holds Spencer's hand.

"That's nothing." Derek shrugs "Be happy, the two of you."

"We will." Spencer replies with a smile so wide it could rip his face in half.

After his team leaves the room, Spencer kisses Maeve's forehead, she kisses his lips softly in return.

"I love you so much; I can't believe it's all over now." Spencer says.

"It is over and we got the biggest prize, didn't we? Love."

"You are my best friend as well as my lover, and I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most. I treasure each side, just as I have treasured our life together."   
Nicholas Sparks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over :( but have no tears babies, I have an epilogue ready for tomorrow!


	15. Chapter 15

_"Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could."_

_Barbara de Angelis_

***7 months later ***

Spencer is nervous, more nervous than he had ever been in his entire life.what if she doesn't want to marry me? What if something goes wrong? What if someone tries to kill us today? he thought, bouncing on his feet as he waited until it was finally time to get married.

Even he couldn't believe in it sometimes, Spencer Reid will get married in less than an hour with Maeve Donovan -who will soon be Maeve Reid.

"Dude, calm down!" Derek laughed, seeing his best friend nervousness. But he couldn't blame him for it, could he?

"How can I stay calm?" Spencer beamed and went to fix his tie for the tenth time that day, even tough it was already perfect, them moving to fix his hair.

Rossi approached him with a understanding smile and placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. As Spencer turned to face him, David started to work on his tie.

"Take it from me, boy." He began, talking from his own experience "I have been on this road for three times now, you're nervous, but don't be, Maeve loves you and everything will be fine."

"I know that." Spencer replied "I am just worried something happens at the ceremony or that s-."

"The only thing that will happen is that you and Maeve will get married today. It won't be much of a change for you two, will it?" Hotch began and smiled. "Everyone gets nervous on their wedding day. me, I thought that a serial killer would blow up the ceremony and the party."

"And if anyone even stands up on the 'speak now over ever' we have our guns, we can shoot them." Derek joked.

"Don't shot anyone at my wedding!" Spencer exclaimed, but he was little less nervous now.

Just as they finished getting ready for the big day, Garcia and Alex walked in the door. She was the one that would officailisizate their marriage, but that didn't meant she wouldn't be a cheerful as she always is, or colourfull.

"Genius boy." She started, looking him up and down "You're looking good. But your girl looks way better."

"Maeve is the most amazing person and the most gorgeous." Spencer answered her with a smile full of love. "But I am truly the luckiest."

"Then let's go." Morgan smiled. He barely could believe that this was the same Spencer Reid that he had met years ago. This Reid couldn't stop smiling and above all this Spencer Reid is getting married. And that is something Derek didn't think he'd see. But, boy, he is glad he will.

Before they left the room, Alex approached him and hugged him tight.

"I knew you two would make it." She whispered in his ear.

"Thank you." Spencer answered her with a smile. "For everything taht you did for us. Everything."

"You're welcome." She replied and they walked off.

As Spencer and the others walked into Rossi's garden -which was once again the place of a wedding (not that David minds, he loves throwing parties and a wedding is the biggest party he could ever make for someone) after less than two years- and took their places, Spencer noticed the pretty decoration and the people who had come to see the wedding.

He was incredibly glad that he could see his mother there waiting to walk with him up the aisle. He never thought that she would make it. He and Maeve weren't expecting to see her there at all.

_There was a knock on the door, that startled both Spencer and Maeve -who had moved in with him shortly after she left the hospital, her house bringing bad memories and Spencer wanting to be as close to her as possible since he travels too much for work- from their still sleepy state at the breakfast table._

_"I'll go." Spencer said, giving Maeve a quick peck on the lips._

_Maeve watched him leave and heard the door open, but she heard no other sound after that. She decided to see what was going on. She was met with a sight she was happy to watch._

_Spencer was hugging his mother Diana Reid -whom she had heard a lot about and meet in person a month ago. Diana then extended her arm, calling Maeve into their embrace. She gladly hugged both, and after kissing her son and his fiancé, Diana found herself sitting on their couch._

_"I hope I wasn't too early." She began "I know I said I wouldn't be able to come, but I can't miss my son's wedding."_

_"I am glad you came, we couldn't be happier." Maeve answered and Spencer nodded._

_"I'm glad you're here for us, mom. It means a lot."_

_"And where else would i be?" She laughed "It's this afternoon, I imagine you both must be leaving soon to get ready, huh?"_

As Spencer walked with his mother he noticed all the people who had come that day -some whom he hadn't seen in a long time, like Elle and Gideon, and other that he had seen some while ago, like Emily and Ashley- and he, just like them, couldn't stop smiling.

While he waited besides Penelope for Maeve to come up, he remembers the day where he had proposed to her.

It was the happier and most terrifying day of his whole life. Not knowing if he would get the words right, or even if she would say yes was actually killing him.

_Spencer was waiting for Maeve to come out of the room. He had been away on a case for the past week and had asked Maeve to wait on the bedroom as he prepared a surprise for her._

_Maeve had only thought he was trying to make up for her for being away a whole week -which wasn't unusual, Spencer is a romantic- even if he knows she doesn't get angry at him for it. It's his job, he helps people. How could she ever be mad at him for it?_

_"Can I walk in now?" She asked trough the door and Spencer chuckled at her anticipation._

_Spencer looked once more at what he had made͵ making sure everything is where it is supposed to be. And called out "I got everything ready now."_

_As Maeve walked in she gasped at her sight. Spencer had placed some plates and her favorite food on the table, as well as a chocolate pie, which he knew it was her favorite._

_"liked it?" He asked hopefully and she nodded, walking up to him and kissing Spencer on the lips._

_They sat and enjoyed their meal, with laughter and nervousness from Spencer's side. It didn't go unnoticed by Maeve, who was now curious as ever._

_"Spence?" She asked "what is going on this pretty head of yours?"_

_"You know I love you, right?" He asked and she smiled at him. Of course she knew he loves her, he had preoved it way too many times._

_"You're sure I know and I love you too." Maeve answered him truthfully. She saw Spencer take a deep breath and stand up from his chair and pulling something out of his pocket._

_He muttered 'now or never' and bowed down in one knee. Maeve's hand flew to her mouth, the realization of what Spencer was intending on doing drawing on her especially as she saw that he had a ring in his hand._

_"I guess I could say a million things now, about how wonderfully happy you make me and about all the love I feel for you, and all these things are true." Spencer began " But you know all that. So, I'll go to the point, would you give me the greatest honour of marrying me?"_

_There, he said it. All that was left now was an answer from her. Yes or No. She held his heart in her hands, as she always does._

_She didn't answer him, Spencer's only answer were her lips pressing against his own in a kiss._

_"Is that a yes?" Spencer laughed and kissed her cheek lovingly "because that sure felt like it."_

_"Yes, of course I will marry you, Spencer." She said with a huge smile in her face, hugging him. "How could I ever say no?"_

_"Quite frankly there are many ways." He chuckled "But I won't say any way you could say no. For now I am the happiest man on earth."_

And now, two months after he proposed, seven months twenty days after they met and seventeen months after their very first letter, they would get married.

Some could say they were going too fast, but neither of them minded.

The wedding march started soon after he took his place -he of course knew that Maeve wouldn't be late, even though it was a tradition- but when he saw her, walking up the aisle with her father, all the world vanished fro him. All he could see is Maeve.

Maeve was a gorgeous as he had ever seen -or perhaps it was the smile in her face that made everyone else look simply inadequate- with her long white dress, her veil and the pair of white converses that she wore proudly to the wedding (He was also wearing his, neither of them being too much of a fan of hells and tight uncomfortable shoes).

"Hi." She whispers as she finally stands next to him, he kisses her hand softly and they turn to look at Penelope, who looked just as anxious and happy as them.

"Today," She begins "We are reunited here, to unite these two in marriage."

Quite frankly neither Spencer or Maeve pay any attention to what is being said, all both of them are focussing now, is on each other and that they will get married.

"What are your vows to this marriage?" Penelope asks and they notice that the cerimony is almost over now.

Maeve answers first "Spencer, there is a quote that I read, that is : 'Love is our true destiny, we do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone. We find it with another,' And you gave me that, you gave me a chance of true happiness and I love you so much. because you let me be me, and because you are you, and we aren't perfect but we loeve each other and being perfect doesn't matter."

Spencer had tears in his eyes, but he did not cried as he spoke "For a long time, I had wondered why to ever come home, why to not drown myself in work and for a while I did that. But you gave me a motive to look forward to something, you gave me hope that I could be happy. And I am happy because of you. and all the little things, and troubles we may have had, only made me love you even more."

Spencer could swear that his mother was crying, as well as Maeve's mother and most of the audience. Well, if pouring his heart out to the woman he loves makes people cry, then so be it. He thinks.

"Do you have the rings?" Penelope Garcia asked and Derek pretended to have forgotten them -much to make the audience laugh after crying with their speech- before giving them to Spencer, who slipped one to Maeve. "You may exchange them now."

As they exchanged their rings, each of them kissing the other's hand after slipping them into their ring finger, all they could do was smile.

"Now I pronounce you, Smart and Smarter." Garcia said "Oops, I meant Husband and Wife." She corrected herself "You may now, kiss your bride."

Spencer leaned downwards to kiss Maeve and she stood in her tiptoes to reach his lips.

Claps and wolf whistles erupted from the crowd as they parted, making both of the laugh and kiss once more.

As they kissed, they were sure of two things. They love each other and this is just their beginning.

_"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."_

_Ann Landers_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *snif**snif* And that is our ending. I must say, this had been an amazing journey and I truly love all of you who left reviews, favorited and followed this story, it means a lot to me that you all love it too. I hpe this epilogue is a nice way of finishing our story. 
> 
> With all the love, Lai.


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